User Participation in Infrastructuring: Exploring the Space for Action

Abstract

This paper addresses participation in the design and transformation of an information infrastructure in healthcare. Recent work on the transformation of health information infrastructures shows that bottom- up user-driven processes are preferred, however, the role of users in infrastructuring remains under researched. This study addresses this gap by investigating user representatives' work in the design of an infrastructure. Grounded in the Scandinavian tradition of Participatory Design, this study conceptualise participation as space for action. This study is based on empirical research conducted on a project developing a digital application for sharing patient data in patient handovers. The context of the study is primary care services in Norway. Our findings show how user representatives engage local organizations as both facilitators for their own design process, i.e. designers preparing and transforming their local services, and as participants into design of the infrastructure, i.e. designers shaping technology. We contribute to literature on infrastructuring by showing how user representatives explore possbilities for action shaping the infrastructuring process.